Dan Gaspar is  a member of Portugal’s 2010 World Cup coaching staff and the head coach of the University of Hartford’s men’s soccer team.  He also runs the acclaimed Star Goalkeeper Academy and the Connecticut Soccer School.  He is guest-blogging his journey for WorldSoccerBars.com.

When you start the journey that is the World Cup, there’s always a sense of anxiety.

You try to focus on the two segments of the tournament: there’s the qualification aspect, which Team Portugal has already achieved, and then there’s the knockout phase, which requires a winning mentality. The loser goes home and the winner stays. We’ve reached that stage and we don’t want to go home.

As Team Portugal prepares for the match against Spain, we’re in a good space and a good frame of mind. The game plan is on track. We haven’t conceded a goal at the World Cup and if we can maintain that discipline and sense of structure, we’re always in a position to compete.

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Watch Portugal vs. Spain as they take center stage in Cape Town in an Iberian matchup between the #2 and #3 ranked teams in the world (according to FIFA).  The match at Green Point Stadium is first time Spain and Portugal have faced-off in a World Cup match.   In 32 previous matches Spain [...]